Author: paschmann

Stream Crossings

Trail Riding or racing in our part of the country it seems inevitable you are going to come across a stream, creek or small river to cross. In most cases it’s a fairly easy path to the other side but sometimes it can be tricky, consider these tips while navigating the water sections on your next crossing and it may end up being easier than you thought.

Some keys to remember:

9/10 times the rocks underneath are going to be pretty slick
Look for the shallowest and shortest point to cross
If you are unsure about the depth or strength of the current, get a stick and check before crossing!
Make sure you have an exit point to aim for on the other side read more

Step 1. Line yourself up as straight as possible, this will eliminate your front or back wheel washing away when you are going up the other side of the bank. Make sure you are in a gear which can pull you through the mud and enable you to get the front wheel into the air. (Because this was a short run up, I was in 2nd). Size up the bank and essentially spot the target point where you would like your front wheel to land, in most cases the further up the other bank the better. Here you can see I am gripping the bike with my knees and legs and have started accelerating to get the front wheel off the ground to carry it across the mud.

Step 2. In this shot I am fully committed and leaning slightly back to make sure that my rear wheel is going to stay on the ground and basically run through the water, this will also keep my front wheel in the air. At this point you want to have a consistent acceleration and be prepared for the bike to move underneath you slightly. read more

Risk Racing “Lock-n-Load”

When EDM asked me to test the lock-n-load system from risk racing I was eager to get my hands on the product to give it a once-over. I am constantly looking for ways to make transporting my bike easier and quicker to load in my cargo van. The lock-n-load system does just that, it lets you eliminate your bar scratching, fork squashing, bearing ruining tie downs for a footpeg catch and lock system which works pretty well.

Like all of risks products the lock-n-load is made extremely well and comes in a glossy black finish. Installation is fairly straight forward, 2 flat base plates get installed into your trailer, cargo van or hauler using 4 bolts. These 2 base plates serve as the mount for the actual lock-n-load stand which can be installed and removed in a couple of seconds thanks to 4 thumb screws.   read more